Spring pad mounting for pressing machines



' J6 1936- c. E. HAMlLTON. SR 37 SPRING PAD MOUNTING FOR PRESSING MACHINES Filed Feb. 2'7, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 .2 5- 7- v INVENTOR (/zaries Zia/dz fiwu'ha/g 6' BY I ATTORNEY June 9, 1936. c. E. HAMILTON, SR

SPRING PAD MOUNTING FOR PRESSING MACHINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 R Y m n1 N R E 10 V r W m A Filed Feb. 27, 1934 0W zzzlm 52/211220; 5r.

Patented June 9, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Charles Edwin Hamilton, Sr., Hollywood, Calif., assignor, by direct and mesne assignments, to Henry R. Hering, South Orange, N. J.

Application February 27, 1934, $erial No. 713,100

- 8 Claims.

The invention relates to ironing machines, more particularly of the pressing type making use of a so-called buck over which the work to be ironed is located through the medium of a slide member carrying suitable padding, in the present instance spring padding of the nature disclosed in my prior U. S. Letters Patent Nos. 1,054,407,- 1,466,362 and 1,931,538. The helically coiled springs composing this padding are carried by a suitable base plate; and the present invention relates more especially to the novel manner of securing such base plate to-the slide member (or in some instances to the buck itself) designed to be brought over the buck of the ironing machine and beneath the steam head or chest thereof so that when the buck is elevated, pressure is applied to the work located between the padding surface and the steam chest, the resilient surface of the former readily accommodating irregularities in the work. Heretofore, it has been the practice to secure rigidly at its ends the base plate of the spring padding element to the slide member; but it has been found that not only does this arrangement result in objectionable buckling of the plate or undue stress thereon, due to temperature variations to which it is subjected in the ironing operations, but the vibration due to the ironing operations gradually backs out or loosens the screws generally utilized to hold the ends rigidly to the slide. a

The present invention has for an object a novel arrangement for securing such base plate of the spring padding to its slide and withal to obviate buckling of the plate or development of stresses therein by making provision for accommodating expansion and contraction of the said plate.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of securing means for the plate whereby the continuity of the resilient surface provided by the springs will not be interrupted.

A still further object of the invention residesin the provision of securing means which will not interfere with the positioning of a slide upon its buck and will admit of accommodating the padding readily to the shape of the slide or buck.

The invention has for another object the provision of means, acting also to locate-the padding, whereby the extent of compression of the springs may be limited. V

In carrying out the invention, the spring padding mounted upon the slide of the ironing machine includes a base plate upon which are mounted the plurality of helicallycoiled springs composing the padding; and said base plate is arranged to be rigidly secured to the slide at a point intermediate the ends of the plate. The said ends in turn are clear of springs and are arranged to remain free but are guided in suitable guide means rigidly positioned on the slide. Also, the ends of the plate are preferably of reduced Width to afford end tongues or extensions to which the guides of the slide are accommodated, and which may consist of bars transversely disposed with respect to the said tongues and undercut alongthe lower surfaces to receive the said tongues.

Furthermore, provision is made in rigidly securing the plates at intermediate points to obviate interruption of the continuity of the pad surface. To this end, a bolt is passed through the lower side of the slide, with head countersunk therein, the bolt passing also through the base plate of the spring padding; and a nut is fitted over the end of the bolt to secure the plate and slide together, said nut, however, having an outer terminal portion which is adapted to receive the lower end or convolutions of a spring element of the padding, for example, in the manner more particularly set forth in my prior U. S. Letters Patent Nos. 1,931,538 and 1,931,539.

"The nature of the invention, however, will best be understood when described in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a front elevation and part vertical section of the head of an ironing machine of the buck type.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan thereof with the slide member drawn out and portions thereof broken away.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the spring pad employed in the ironing machine.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged transverse section through a portion of the slide and the attached spring padding, and taken on the line 4-4, Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a perspective View, on an enlarged scale, illustrating one of the guide means.

Fig. 6 is an elevation of the bolt used for securing the base plate to its slide; and Fig. '7 is a plan view of the nutcooperating therewith.

Referring to the drawings, more particularly Figs. 1 and 2 thereof, I0 designates a buck of a pressing machine, which buck is adapted to be reciprocated in well known manner toward a head or steam chest II for pressing of the work (not shown) and adapted to be placed over a suitably padded slide I! which may be brought into position over the buck by manipulating the handle I 3 attached to the slide, all of which is well understood in the art. The present invention relates more especially to the manner of mounting the padding upon the slide element of the pressing machine and particularly to paddings of the nature set forth in my prior U. S. Letters Patent Nos. 1,054,407, 1,466,362 and 1,931,538, said padding including a resilient portion comprising a plurality of adjacent helically-coiled springs disposed over and carried by a perforated base plate, the outer ends of the springs being overlaid with a suitable covering material or fabric padding. Thus, the pad may consist of a base plate l5- perforated to receive studs [6, Fig. 4, and over which are secured the respective innerendsof the helically coiled springs l1 whose outer ends may be covered by suitable caps I8.

Any suitable manner of securing the spring ends to the base plate may be utilized, but itis. preferred to make use of arrangements such as are indicated in my prior U. S. Letters Patent Nos. 1,931,538 and 1,931,539, in view of the. fact,

that the holding stud may be so constructed as to also serve to retain the base plate securely to the surface IQ of the slide. In-accordance with the invention, this attachment of the base plate with padding to the slide is efiected only at a position intermediate the ends of the base plate, which ends are thus allowed to remain free and unattached. For example, reference being had to Figs. 4,1 6 and 'l, a holding stud or threaded bolt 20 is arranged to have its head countersunk in the wall 19 of the slide member so as not to mar the surface of the buck when the slide is located thereon, said stud extending also through the perforations 2| of the base plate and upwardly beyond the surface of the same to receive a nut 22 for locking the said base plate to the surface l9. As indicated, the base plate is secured at four different points substantially mid-way of the ends of the plate, but I do not wish to be restricted in this arrangement of the securing means. A nut 22 is so designed, furthermore; as by extending its head and providing therein a groove 23', that the inner ends of the respective springs may be secured to a nut,; through, for example, the lowermost convolution of the spring snapping into and fittingthe said groove. By this expedient, no gaps at the securing points will be visible and the continuity of the pad surface will remain uninterrupted. The arrangement provides, also, for convenient removal (as indicated in Fig. 4) of defective springs, as well as for removal and attachment of a padding plate to the surface of the slide member, the said pad withal being rigidly secured at these points in position upon the slide.

However, the ends 25 and 26 of the padding, or rather the base plate [5 thereof, remain free and unattached; and it is preferred to reduce the same in width. While it is desirable to maintain these ends free in order to accommodate variations in the length of the base plate due to varying temperature conditions, it is necessary to provide against the base plate as a whole rising above the surface of its carrying slide member. There is accordingly provided at each end of the slide member a suitable guide member to receive these free ends or reduced portions 25, 26 of the base plate; and saidguide members may consist .of a pair of bars or straps 21,, 28 secured to the surface it of the slide member transversely of its length. Moreover, a bar is undercut over its lower surface as at 29 to afford a suitablerecess for accommodating the corresponding end 25 or 26 ofthe base plate. These bars will serve thereby to maintain the base plate to the surface of the slide member while permitting freedom of motion of the ends thereof to accommodate the effect of temperature variations thereon. Furthermore, the extent to which a strap projects upwardly from the slide will determine the maximum compression which may be placed upon the springs of the pad, as contact of a strap with the head H will prevent further movement of the buck.

I claim:

1. Mounting means for a resilient pad utilized on an ironing machine which has a movable slide with the resilient pad thereon to receive the work, said means including members to rigidly secure the padto the slide at a point intermediate the ends" of the pad, and means to secure the free ends of the said pad against movement upwardly of the slide surface.

2. Mounting means for a resilient pad utilized on an ironing machine which has a movable slide with the resilient pad thereon to receive the work, said means. including members to rigidly secure the pad to the slide at a point intermediate the ends or the pad, and means to secure the free ends of the said pad against movement upwardly of the slide surface, said means extending outwardly from said surface to serve as a stop for limiting the pressure which may be applied to the pad.

3. Mounting means for a resilient pad utilized on anironing machine which has a movable slide with the resilient pad thereon to receive the work, said means including members to rigidly secure the pad to the slide at a point intermediate the ends of the pad, and a pair of guide bars having undercut lower surfaces and secured to the slide to receive in the und'ercutportions the respective opposite free ends of the pad.

4.;Mounting means for a resilient pad utilized on an ironing machine which has a movable slide with the resilient pad thereon to receive the work and the padcompri'sing a base plate and a plurality of adjacent, helically coiled springs carried thereby, said means including members to rigidly secure the base plate to the slide at points intermediate the ends of the base plate, the ends of the base plate being free for movement relative to the slide, a said securing member having a terminal portion above the surface of the base plate adapted to removably receive thereon and lock thereto the lower end of a spring of the pad.

5-. Mounting means for a resilient pad utilized on an ironing machine which has a movable slide with the resilient-pad thereon to receive the work and the pad comprising a base plate and a pluralityof adjacent, helically coiled springs carried thereby, said means consisting of a bolt extending through the slide and the base plate solely at points intermediate the end of said plate and close tothe medial line thereof, and a nut'fitting over the end of a bolt to contact directly with the plate and having a terminal portion above the surface of the said plate adapted to removably receive thereon and lock thereto the lower end of a spring of the pad.

6. Mounting means for a resilientpad utilized on an ironing machine which has a movable slide with the resilient pad thereon to receive the work and the pad comprising a base plate and a plurality of adjacent, helical-l3 coiled springs car ried thereby, said means consisting of a bolt extending through the slide and the base plate solely at points intermediate the end of said plate "and close to the medial line: thereof, and

countersunk in the former, and a nut fitting over the end of a bolt to contact directly with the plate and having a terminal portion above the surface of the said plate adapted to removably receive thereon and lock thereto the lower end of a spring of the pad.

7. Mounting means for a resilient pad utilized on an ironing machine which has a movable slide with the resilient pad thereon to receive the work and the pad comprising a base plate and a plurality of adjacent, helically coiled springs carried. thereby, the plate being of reduced width at its ends, said means including means to rigidly secure the base plate to the slide at a point intermediate the ends of the former, and a pair of guide bars having undercut lower surfaces and rigidly secured to the slide to form slots of a width substantially equal to the width of the base plate ends which are adapted to fit and to slide therein.

8. Mounting means for a resilient pad utilized on an ironing machine which has a movable slide with the resilient pad thereon to receive the work and pad comprising a base plate and a plurality of adjacent, helically coiled springs carried thereby, said means consisting of a bolt extending through the base plate from its underside, and a nut fitting over the end of the bolt to contact directly with the plate and having a terminal portion above the surface thereof grooved to receive and hold to the nut the lower end of a spring of the pad, whereby the spring is positioned thereon to be freely removable.

CHARLES EDWIN HAMILTON, SR. 

